Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-08-12

fed IN comfortable and healthy quarters.
Wool fiber grows like plant, and a yerv
good illustration of The point we desire
to present may be found in the potato
grown IN an unusually irregular season
at one time growing vigorously, at an.
other time starved by drouth or drowned
by water. Potatoes grown under such
conditions are not good, as every farmer
knows. so, If shsep are surfeited part
OF the time, starved part of the time, ex-
posed to all kinds of weather in all sea
sons, their wool viii show the effects of
their Keeping and will be weak, irregular,
half dead. To produce good wool, regu-
lar, lively, strong, the sheep must be we'll
cared for and that all the time, so that
the fiber may grow steadily and health
fully. Every observing farmer knows
hos quickly disease or lack of food, or
impure or unnlean food affects the hair
of horses, hogs and cattle. The effect is
precisely the same on sheep. and it is
more important in this case because we
are growing the wool for use.
After the wool is grown it is IMPORTANT
that 1t be well taken care of and pre-
pared for market in good condition. If
the wool-grower understands that wool
must be sorted before 1t is used by mann
features, they will recognize the imror-
lance OF some well-defued general plau
of putting up wool in grades at the farm.
Here Is manufacturers description of
package of wool: Put it on the table,
and 1t Is beautiful fleece TO behold
light, pugy ana free. The string comes
of freely. To open it from the cen,
ter to either end is but to touch it with
slight pressure-but 10. what is heres
handful of short hard tags cut last fell;
another handful of clippings cut this
spring: another handful of sweat locks
swept from the floor. Is that alIe No:
here Is another bunch of wool, of another
color, different staple; 1t smells differ
ent; 1t must be-yes, it is a part of rams
fleece"
The way OF putting up wool is very ex-
penslVe to the farmer, because it dis
credits his wool in the market. Better
throw inferior stuff away than TO mix it
with good wool, for the price is determ-
lned by the worst samples and the prob
able expense of sorting. The manufac-
turer above quoted is a New Yorker, and
he was addressing a convention of New
York farmers when he used that language
de told them that system of putting up
wool cost too much" And then he went
oh W say tAab western new OrE wool Is
neglected in the seaboard markets be-
cause the buyer knows that he will nav
for what is not wool. The tags you put
III the fall are hardly worth saving. All
the wool there is in the fribs and stuff
fhat Is swept from the floor in days
shearing will hardly weigh two pounds,
and the trifie of wool that attaches the
execresences at the spring trimming had
far better be left out of the tieeces.'
The Rochester wool buyers, a sho,t time
before these remarks were made, had re-
solved to reject all washed wool where the
heeces contain tags, either washed or I'M
washed, or dead wool. They proposed to
buy such unmercantable wool at its value.
but must have it separated.
Farmers of Kansas ought to have twice
as mauy sheep as they do have. Every
farm ought TO have a flock. There is no
more profitable animal when well taken
care of. They are not troublesome, they
are not expensive, and yet. when well
cared for they will pay for themselves
twice every year, even at low prices
for wool. Have good stock, keep them
well, make good wool, and put it on the
market in good con iitIon.